Bristol WORKS is a Learning City partnership project, which aims to make quality experiences of work and apprenticeships available to every young person in the city.

The project helps to raise the aspirations of young people, their parents and carers through the development of experience of work opportunities and clear post 16 pathways – with particular attention given to those who face the greatest challenges in relation to learning, skills and employment.

Research suggests that young adults who have had four or more experiences of work while at school are five times more likely to engage in further education, employment and training. They earn, on average, 16% more than their peers who had no such experiences. However, not all young people are given such opportunities.

Bristol WORKS helps to increase young peoples choices by offering them meaningful experiences of work in the city. Using an experience of work framework, Bristol WORKS collaborates with schools and employers to develop tailored experience of work plans for students. The framework recognises that there are more opportunities for young people to engage with the working world, than just a one or two week placement, which is usually offered in year ten. As such, additional experience of work opportunities are included within the framework such as employers delivering interesting activities at schools, one-to-one mentoring and students solving real challenges within a workplace.

Find out more

In collaboration with a wide range of partners, Bristol WORKS aims to raise the profile of apprenticeships in Bristol.

Anyone can apply for an apprenticeship and they’re available across a wide range of different industries from law and finance to education, marketing or IT. In some sectors an apprenticeship can also earn you a qualification up to the equivalent of a Master’s degree.

The apprenticeship programme is being delivered with support from the National Apprenticeship Service and the West of England Combined Authority to increase diversity amongst under-represented groups and those facing barriers to enter an apprenticeship.

There are a range of objectives to work towards by 2020, which includes increasing apprenticeship starts amongst the following groups:

  • NEET young people – those not in education, employment or training
  • Older, unemployed – age 55+
  • People from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds
  • Care leavers
  • People with disabilities or learning disabilities
  • Ex-offenders
  • Returners to work, e.g. parents or carers
  • 25% most deprived areas of Bristol
  • Women or men in underrepresented sectors, such as women in the construction industry.

Find out more

Career Coach is a five year coaching programme for children in care. It matches volunteer coaches with young people, aged 13 or 14 and looked after by the local authority, with inspirational local professionals, based on their interests and preferred ways of learning.

The aim of the programme is to support students to:

  • Develop their interpersonal skills, to take responsibility and to build self-efficacy and self-belief
  • Develop or increase their career ambitions and expectations
  • Increase their information and knowledge about future pathways, including careers and education options
  • Develop their professional network.

Bristol WORKS Career Coach is a Learning City partnership collaboration between the Cabot Learning Federation and Hope Virtual School.

Find out more